Isle of Wight (N 50º 39’44” W 1º 35’27”) Card 150x150mm with recycled envelope and biodegradable cello. Detailed caption on the reverse of the card. Card is blank for your own message.
Isle of Wight (N 50º 39’44” W 1º 35’27”)
The Isle of Wight, situated 8 km (5 miles) off the south coast, is a small diamond shaped island, measuring just 37km (23 miles) by 20.9km (13 miles) with a population of around 150,000. It was around 1900 BC when the first inhabitants settled, followed by the Romans but in 686AD, the West Saxon King, Caedwalla conquered it and brought Christianity to the island. It is very popular with tourists and with over 96.5km (60 miles) of coastline including beaches and spectacular chalk cliffs, you can understand why. The Needles, which is the most famous landmark, are three rocks protruding out of the sea at Alum Bay, situated at the most westerly point of the island. In 1859, the lighthouse was built to warn shipping as they sailed up the Solent on their way to Portsmouth or Southampton. However, this was not the first lighthouse to be built. The first one was built on the cliffs in 1786, but at 448m (462 feet) above sea level and the light often being obscured by fog, it was agreed to replace it.
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